Why wasn’t any member of the RF present at the women’s rugby World Cup final yesterday?

[Dustyhem952]

Honestly, I think it was a disgrace!

And an insult to our female players! And the entire team who worked so hard to get to be champions!

If the England’s men’s team had reached the final of the the World Cup, against a Commonwealth country no less, I bet someone would have turned up!

No doubt the team members will be invited to Windsor at some point but I think it’s a huge mid-step that no member of the RF could actually be bothered to travel to the stadium, sit in the stands, and actually cheer the Red Roses on!

Princess Anne often attends Scottish rugby matches. It would have meant so much to the women there if someone in the RF could have turned out for them. People clocked Mark Carney for Canada and could be seen literally looking around to see who was there for us!

Princess Catherine sent a message of support in advance and I have every sympathy with her if she is not well enough to attend a match, But if that was the case, someone in one of the offices at St James’s palace, to which we all collectively contribute a lot of money, should have clocked this situation and made other suitable plans!

Sorry Catherine and William, you can’t just pick and choose the events you want to attend like Wimbledon and Aston Villa matches!

I think they deserve the rest of the year off now they've done us a solid hosting Trump.

Kate had to sit next to him for that entire state dinner so it wouldn't surprise me if she wasn't still submerged in a bath of disinfectant. I certainly would be.

Yes, this exactly.

It’s not that Kate should have been there because she’s royal, she should have been there in her role as patron of the English RFU.

TBH even if England hadn’t made the final she probably still should have been there (in her role of patron) to hand out the prizes at the end - just as she manages to do at Wimbledon finals (as patron of the LTA) when there is no British competitor taking part.

If you don’t want to do certain bits of the role, then you shouldn’t accept the job (I’m talking about accepting patronages here, not being a Royal).

I see what you are saying and you've got a point. But thinking back on what you were saying before about senior royals going to all finals any British team makes, If I'm honest I do find it a bit odd that they choose to become patrons of any British teams because chances are that team at some point will also be playing a commonwealth team and as head of both places I'd expect them to be impartial. Publicly at least.

Wimbledon and stuff is different because the POW is a patron of the place rather than just the British players who can't seem to get near the finals anyway.

im not surprised neither of them bothered. they are probably having a holiday as they worked the other week.

I think it might be because they are workshy freeloaders?

As an American, I have to say that I would never criticize my elected officials for not attending a sports event. I don't find them a priority.

I was furious for years when then Mayor Bloomberg went to Bermuda for vacation when an enormous blizzard arrived. The deputy mayor of Sanitation decided she wasn't going to plow according to road priority and people died. My neighbor's dog died since she couldn't get him to a vet because they didn't plow our priority 1 and 2 roads. That's laziness and stupidity.
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A billion dollars budgeted for a mental health initiative for our last mayor 's wife that showed no results. That's even more unforgivable. That could have gone to food banks for people and free veterinary services for animals.Lots of public housing repairs.

Harry and Meghan are back in my city in two weeks. Once again, we NY tax payers will have to pay for police security for them while regular New Yorkers are mugged and shot. They literally drove around a block from one location to another with a police escort. So no, they are not paragons of virtue .

@AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta that is a fair point re: commonwealth countries, and I had forgotten Kate was a patron of the AELTC as well as the LTA, so I suppose she actually attends Wimbledon in that role.

But still not a reason for any of them not to attend finals, really, I don’t think.

I don’t know. I think I just get a bit cross when I see the European royals out and about supporting their teams all the time at all sorts of different events, and our teams don’t always seem to be afforded the same respect. Well, in fact, the euro royals seem to be out and about quite a bit more than ours full stop, if I’m being honest. (And I say that as someone who is in favour of the Royal Family).

The Royals are not elected officials, though? And their role is kind of all about turning up to things!!

You have to admire her for not screaming "ewww get away from me" but smiling sweetly and having decorum.

Is outrage...

I'm sure the kids would survive a day without their parents!

As Royal Patron of English rugby, Kate should definitely have been there. It didn't even involve a flight abroad. Just a Saturday afternoon watching a game from the best seats. There might (or might not) have been a good reason why she didn't attend, but I doubt it was illness as it doesn't seem she was ever expected to be present.

I do kind of agree but I also think there’s a big stigma about men enjoying women’s sport that I’d like to see a shift in.

Shame Howdens dont invite their actual customers or concentrate on their insurance offerings. Really gone downhill in the last few years.

They get paid, although indirectly, from the country, so they are on a salary of sorts. Once again, I'm pro sports but I don't think it's a priority. Catherine was highly praised by the American media for her part in the Trump visit. She came across very well. It's going to be your financial advantage.

It’s a short trip from her house in Windsor. I understand she’s still recovering from her illness but honestly, how much work is there in watching a rugby match. Of course I am feeling a little grumpy about this as I have spent the weekend suffering from a cold I caught from my pupils but will have to force myself to work tomorrow because that’s the reality of working life for most of us.

Mike TIndall is a big supporter of women's rugby and I've seen him several times at Gloucester - I think at least one of his daughters play at their local club. However like many of you I was surprised and a little disappointed not to see the PoW there especially as such a big deal was made of her semi final visits - maybe that's why she went to that one as she knew she couldn't make the final. Maybe one of her kids had an important match or school event on? It's not like anyone didn't know England would reach the final!

You are just being a goady fucker now, OP. Your faux outrage is ridiculous.

Kate should’ve been there ideally. Health permitting. With the sprogs in tow if necessary.

Apart from Anne current royal family sense of duty deeply lacking. Even before Kate was ill, she is patron of rugby league as well as union and when England hosted the World Cup in 2022 she only went to one England (men’s) match and didn’t bother with the finals, William is FA patron and didn’t go to the last woman’s World Cup, and, bearing in mind the commonwealth is meant to be a royal priority and Charles is also head of state of Australia the only one who could be bothered to get out of bed for the London Anzac dawn ceremony was Sophie. I also despise the way everyone has swallowed Charles’s “slimmed down monarchy” bs. He hasn’t cut down the money they get from the state. He’s just cut down the number of royals on the receiving end. Meaning we pay the same, get less royal patrons attending events and he and William get more $$s

Yes I think you are right but there was men at the games and I don't think we have to give men first dibs at everything and girls including princess charlotte can enjoy something without having to share it with her brothers and have time with her dad, like she did at previous games.

Yes I think you are right but there was men at the games and I don't think we have to give men first dibs at everything and girls including princess charlotte can enjoy something without having to share it with her brothers and have time with her dad, like she did at previous games.

I hate to say it but increasingly, I am starting to think that it’s all about the ££££££.

No need to be quite that rude! 😃

OK, maybe that was rather goady!

But haven’t they just spent the summer together at Balmoral?

Kate and and William have a house 28 minutes from Twickenham. It’s not good enough.

Trying not to be goady, the only genuine reasons I can think of for not attending are:

-illness, which I think everyone would understand

-they are the British royal family so can’t seem to favour England too much

BUT the final was a very special event, the England team had come second twice before, quite a few Commonwealth countries were involved in the tournament, including the final. It’s a no brainer to attend if you want to be seen to be close to, and popular with, ordinary people.

State dinners are necessary of course and even Ascot they use as a networking event, but the RF’s existence depends on how popular they are with the British public.